Combination of devices for teaching infants



E. PYE.

COMBINATION OF DEVICES FOR TEACHING INFANTS.

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APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I. 1917- E. PYE.

COMBINATION OF DEVICES FOR TEACHING INFANTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l. 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

Emn'zchme Pyz E. PYE.

COMBINATION OF DEVlCES FOR TEACHING INFANTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1. 19!].

Patented Feb. 3, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Ell-IA no F, ,6

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Emmehrzz have invented certain new and useful Im- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMELINE ."PYE, OF TOORAK, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR 1'0 CHARLES BENEDICT DE BIBRA, TRADING AS'THE EDUCATIONAL SUPPLY ASSOCIATION, OF MELBOURNE,

AUSTRALIA.

COMBINATION or DEVICES r012. TEACHING-INFANTS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1920 Application filed September 1, 1917. Serial No. 189,398.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMELINE PYE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 200 Toorak road, Toorak, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia,

provements in an Improved Combination of Devices for Teachin Infants, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to an improved combination of devices for use in teaching children and infants and is directed to the provision of constructional units which may be used with advantage by children when indulging in play to initiate and develop their mental growth and manual dexterity. The objectof this invention is to provide a combination of simple devices which can beeasil arranged by a child to form a variety o geometrical and constructional designs whereby mental impressions of geometric figures and constructive principles 'will be readily produced on its mind that will be both amusing and instructive.

I accomplish this object by providing aseries of cards of different sizes and shapes having one or more perforations thereln and cords, laces or ribbons which are adapted to I be threaded through the perforations and wound or twisted around the same or inter laced to form various designs of an attractive nature. The edges of the cards may be provided with regularly shaped indentations to facilitate the correct winding of the cords, laces or ribbons and the edges'may be curved or rolled as desired. The ends of the cords, laces or ribbons, are provided with tags or like means to facilitate their bein passed through the perforations, and bea s or the like, of a different size and color may be threaded on the cords, laces or ribbons, to vary the geometrical designs formed on the cards. I p

A number of straight sticks of different sizes and shape are provided by means-of whichva'rious constructional designs can be formed. The ends of the sticks are adapted to be inserted in the perforations in the 'cards and some or all of the blocks can be perforated topermit of their being threaded metry of construction.

In order that this invention may be better understood I will now proceed to (167 scribe the same with reference to the accompanylng drawings in which Figurel is a perspective view of the first A heads. 1

card showing the use thereof with laces and' Fig. 3 shows the third card of the series.

Fig. 4 shows the fourth card of the series illustrating on the one part the use thereof with shoelaces and beads and on the other part sticks and blocks of different sizes and shapes. M

Fig. 5 shows the fifth card of the series and illustrates the use thereof with shoelaces of wider pattern for weaving.

Fig. 6 shows a round card thereof with Shoelaces.

Fig. 7 illustrates the use with a card of a pivoted member having a number of perforations which may be used with a lead pencil or the like for scribing circles or like figures.

Fig. 8 illustrates the useof-the fifth card of the series with blocks ofdiiferent shapes for parquetry work and like operations.

and the use Fig. 9 ,is a perspective view of a card The first card in the series as illustrated in Fig. 1 consists of a card A having two perforations B one ateach end the same being adapted for use with a lace C which is passed through one perforation and then simply wound thereon, thereby teaching the child the use of accurate spacing and alinement and training its mind in the direction of regularity. If desired the cards may be made with indentations upon the edges so that, in the winding of the lace thereon it he card illu'strated in Fig.2 is, the sec 0nd of the series andis preferably made five inches square, there being a, series of five perforations upon opposite sides being set one inch apart from center to center. This card A is also used in combination with shoelaces G which may be threaded through the perforationsB and any pattern or design worked thereon. This View also illustrates the manner in which the cards.

A may be used with the laces C in com bination with beads D which of course may be of different colors and sizes.

In Fig. 2 the card is shown with the beads thereon insuch away thatthe whole may be used as an abacus for initiating the childs mind the art or theory of counting.

Fig. 3 illustrates the third card of the series which is also five inches square with five rows of perforations B of five each, the perforations being set one inch apart from center to center. This card is especially adapted for forming with shoelaces C a'wide variety of patterns and designs and rectangular shapes.

In Fig. 4 the fourth card of the series is shown which is made oblong in shape being ten inches uponone side and five inches on the other, the same being divided into two sections, that upon the left side having perforations arranged in lines in arithmetical progression- The'other section has twentyfive perforations arranged in, five rows of five each similar to card No. 3. The left hand section of the card may be used with shoelaces for working out patterns or in combination with beads D as shown when the beads may be threaded thereon showing the method of teaching consecutive numbers. On the right hand side of the card is shown the combination therewith of sticks E of different lengths together with rectangular blocks F and cylindrical blocks G. Both these blocks F and G are formed with a hole or vperforation in the center so that they may be threaded on to the aforesaid sticks. The sticks E are of lengths which are different multiples of unit length so I that the mind of the child is trained in relative proportions while furtherthe blocks F and G are similarly made of different definite proportions. For instance the-blocks F are shown as being cubular and .half cube and quarter cube while the cylindrical blocks G are made-of such sizes that the depth is equal to the diameter, half the diameter, and quarter the diameter.

The fifth card of the series is shown in Fig; 5 and is made ten inches square with nine rows of perforations B of nine each.

This card may be used in a similar manner 5 may I blocks 'F as illustrated inFig. 8 for parstructures.

signs of rectangular shapes inay j' *wov:en thereon and also used in" combination w th;

the beads'as illustrated 2onthe left" hand side of Fig. 4 or with *the sticks andblocks as illustrate d on the righfihand side of Fig.4. This card may further, be used in combination'with a wideflat shoelacaa's. shown whereby theart of"weavin may be introduced, such shoelaces being 0 different colors for incorporation of different designs and patterns. he card illustrated in Fig. also be used in combination with quetry work; Y 1 y The card illustrated in Fig. 6 is made round in shape having acentral perforation of larger size with a number of perforations around the edge thereof set in such relation that by being used in combination with shoelaces radial patterns may be worked as shown. 1

to the cards preyiouslyjhustrated in com 415 binationwithbootlaces G where any'd'e- InFig. 7 is shown a device for scribing or working circular lines or patterns, the same consisting of a piece pf cardboard H having a number of perforations and is adapted to E and blocks F and G to form an attractive and amusing toy by the aid of which a child can exercise his constructive ability in forming representations of buildings and like In this instance the sticks are insertedupright in the perforations in the card and the blocks are threaded thereover to form supporting columns for other units employed informing the representations desired. The blocks F and G are formedwith longitudinally disposed grooves I which are be attached to the card'by means of a paper with a pencil adapted to receive and support the edges of i ke material empieces of-card board J or "ployed to form the walls or'other parts of the structure represented by any particular arrangement of the parts of the toy. The

pieces of card board J can be sup-ported at I any point in the height of the columns b partially rotating one of the blocks to brea the continuity of the grooves I as shown at K in Fig. 10 of the drawings. 'If preferred, holes L can be formed diametrically in the blocks F and G as shown in Fig. 11 to sup- I 120 permit of them being threaded sidewise' on port the sticks E- in a radial direction or to the said sticks.

In order toflpermit of the devices being packed compactly and transported convenientl they are placed in wooden or cardboard boxes the lid or any of the sides of which canbe provided with a series of erforations arranged as hereinbefore described and used in the same manner as the cards A in combination With the other units comprised in the invention.

I claim 1. A device for use in teaching comprising a card provided with a plurahty of perforations adapted to receive a lace to be passed through said perforations to form designs on the surface of the card, sticks adapted to have their lower ends inserted in the perforations when the lace is not occupying the perforations, and a series of different sized perforated blocks adapted to be mounted on each of said sticks.

2. A combination of devices for use in teaching comprising acard having a plurality of perforations therein, sticks having their lower ends removably arranged in said perforations, and a plurality of perforated blocks of different sizes and shapes mounted removably on each of said sticks.

3. A combination of devices for use in teaching comprising a card having a n111nber of perforations therein, awplurality of sticks having their lower endsrcmovably mounted in the perforations, a series of perforated blocks mounted on each of said sticks and having peripheral grooves forming recesses and card board plates having their edge-s resting in said recesses, one of said blocks on one of the sticks having its groove arranged out of alinement Withthe grooves in the remainder of the blocks. on

said stick to form a ledge upon Which a card.

whereby the sticks can be inserted in the perforations to support the blocks and pieces of cardboard can he slipped into and supported b the grooves in said blocks, substantially as described and for the purposes herein set forth. v

5. The combination with a stick, of a block removably mounted on said stick and having a peripheral groove and a radial aperture, and a card having its edge resting in said grooves. v

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing itnesses.

EMMELINE PYE.

Witnesses I. W. Conan, L. GREEN. 

